What Ifs
by BrokenByMagic
Summary: Rose finds herself making a habit of asking her destined enemy a lot of What If questions throughout their years in Hogwarts. Will these questions lead them further? What will happen as they progress through their years at Hogwarts? Will they grow closer or further apart? Will they ever find a peace between them?
1. The Meeting

Rose stood quietly upon the Hogwarts Express, finding herself stranded alone qithout any friends or family. They had all abandoned her upon entering the train. She stepped up to one of the sliding doors as she began to gather herself again and knocked quietly.

"Come in." said a quiet voice from within the compartment.

She slid the door open and found herself staring at the boy her father had only just told her to stay away from. Rose frowned, deciding what to do as the boy stared at her with a rather blank expression.

Finally, she straitened and stared him in the eyes defiantly in a show of courage rather uncharacteristic of the one and only Rose Weasley.

"What is I were to sit in this compartment?" That wasn't exactly how she had meant to show her defiance, in fact she had planned on making a show of proving that she was brave enough to sit in the same compartment as her destined enemy but from the startled look on the boy's face, she guessed that her question had done the trick.

Scorpius blinked in surprise, when his father had told him that all Weasleys were strange and rightfully held grudges against their family he had expected to be harassed or at the very least to be treated rudely but he certainly hadn't expected for the bright red girl to knock on his compartment door and ask for a seat.

He began to smirk and as he did Rose immediately decided that she hated it. The smirk was annoying and had obviously been passed down if her parents stories were true.

"What if I were to say you couldn't? This is my compartment after all…"

Rose frowned deeply, "Well; what if I said I didn't care what you said?"

Scorpius frowned back as she plopped herself onto the seat across from him. He thought for a moment what he should do to get rid of her but as they sat he decieded it wasn't worth it really so he chose a different approach.

"What if I were to say my name was Scorpius Malfoy?" He hesitantly stretched out a hand, not really expecting her to take it but still deciding to try.

Rose stared at his hand as if it was some elaborate trick before looking back up at him and his smirk. Ugh, she already hated that smirk…

"What if I said my name was Rose Weasley?" Slowly she took his hand and shook it for the shortest time necessary before dropping it and pulling out a book.

"That doesn't make us friends though."

Scorpius smirked again as she spoke, "I didn't expect it to."


	2. New Friend

Rose glared at her cousin across the Great Hall. She had finally found him on the boats and had yet to forgive him for abandoning her on the train. He had apologized to her sure, but she wasn't quite ready to forgive the bespectacled boy as he sat at the Gryffindor table chatting happily with his brother, James.

She had been the only Weasley or Potter to be sorted into any other house than Gryffindor, a fact that seemed to amuse the old Hat. It could have at least put her in Ravenclaw she thought as she transferred her gaze to the Ravenclaw table of blue and bronze.

Yellow really was not her color…

Finally she turned her gaze to the Slytherin table where the boy, Scorpius sat quietly on the end, fiddling with his spoon. He looked up and locked eyes with her and with a smirk, waved his spoon at her in a rather bored manner.

She glared at him in frustration but looked away after it became clear that she wasn't going to blissfully bun a hole through him and end that annoying smirk.

She went to grumpily stab at the food on her plate, pretending it was Scorpius or her cousins or even her older brother, Hugo.

Finally, having transferred all of her anger safely into her thoroughly mashed potatoes and looked around at her table to find that the people around her were chatting happily with each other and within just a moment one of them turned to her and grinned.

"Are you finished taking out your anger on your food then Rose?" She blinked at the boy as he grinned friendlily at her and blushed.

"Er, yes. Sorry." She fiddled with her food on her plate, pushing one way to the other.

"Very good then! My name is Joshua Zabini but everyone here just calls me Josh. I know what you're going through now, my parents weren't very happy when I was sorted last two years ago either. Neither was I to be honest, but I find that Hufflepuff suits me pretty well." He held out his hand to her and Rose, despite herself grinned as she took it and shook it.

"I'm Rose Weasley, but… you already knew that. I'm sorry again for being so upset, it's not really because of the house it more of my cousins and my brother and Malfoy and…." She stopped as Josh laughed.

"You've already met Scorpius then? Oh this'll be fun, my mum and dad went to Hogwarts with you parents and his and I suppose you've already taken up your place of calling him by his last name." Rose again couldn't help but laugh at the good natured Zabini boy.

She smiled and glanced over at the Slytherin table to find that Malfoy had disappeared only to nearly scream when his voice came from beside her.

"Joshua, it's been a while since I've seen you, how is Puff treating you?" Josh smirked up at Malfoy, smirks seemed to be contagious to fellow Slytherin born blood she decided.

"Just fine actually, I hear you've already met little Rose here." Rose looked between the two boys and Malfoy smirked down at Rose.

"Yes I have, be careful Josh, you don't want to be friends with the likes of her." Rose glared up at Malfoy and Josh's friendly gaze turned a bit hard as he continued to smile up a Malfoy.

Before he could speak however, Rose cut in angrily, "Well what if I told you Josh and I are friends then?! What if I told you that he and I are going to be best friends then?!"

Both boys blinked at Rose, startled before Josh smirked up at Malfoy as he draped an arm over Rose's shoulders with an air of triumph as the prefects were called to lead the first years to their dorms. They left Malfoy standing there gaping at their backs.


	3. End of First Year

Come the end of the term Rose was rather content in Hufflepuff. Everyone was kind and loyal and a lot more courageous than people thought and maybe not in the conventional way that everyone seemed to think was the only way to be so.

They didn't challenge others to duels and they didn't play dirty and they didn't battle dragons but that was what made Rose love them. They showed courage by allowing others to be happy and holding their tongues and playing fair.

They didn't battle dragons but instead they tried to think of ways to get past such creatures without harming it in any way, a feat that Rose thought was much more courageous than slaying or harming one of the few remaining magical beasts.

They gave up their own happiness often for that of others but also made a point of being happy knowing their limits to being kind to others. They weren't pushovers, contrary to popular belief.

True to her word, Josh did become her best friend and the one who had to continually remind her not to freak out on Scorpius when he annoyed her. He was also the first to comment on her habit of talking to him in questions.

It was how she started nearly every conversation with the boy; what if this, what if that. It drove both the boys insane at first but Josh quickly grew used to it. Rose tried to stop, she really did but found that she simply couldn't help it.

Rose realized quite early that she actually enjoyed fighting with Scor-Malfoy. Little did she know Malfoy did too.

"Weasley?" Rose turned to face whoever it was who was calling her and found to her surprise Josh and Malfoy standing together, Josh looking rather smug and Malfoy looking nothing short of awkward.

"We're all sitting together yes?" Rose never understood why Josh was friends with Malfoy but he was. Quietly they both nodded but glared nonetheless at each other and at Josh.

He was always trying to get them to be at the very least civil with each other. They never let him succeed.

It might have well have been their only agreement and perhaps the reason for which Josh continued to try. If they could agree to make him fail, they could surely eventually agree on more.

Sure enough when Josh left to go find Lenny, the girl of his fancy, they two enemies looked to each other with similar glares.

"What if we made him think he had us?"

The ybot blinked, both surprised by her question that she hadn't meant to ask and soon enough Scorpius began to grin.

"What if I said yes?"


	4. Back to Hogwarts

Josh looked uncomfortable at the beginning of his fourth year at Hogwarts on the Train going to their school as he looked at his two friends.

Scorpius and Rose were acting a little overly friendly with each other, even going so far as to sit next to each other and call each other by their first names, a fact that was frankly making all three of their skin crawl.

Rose was pointedly not being rude and Malfoy was lacking his very distinct sarcastic smirk. Quite frankly, they were weirding him out and they were quickly beginning to enjoy it.

When the trolley lady passed on by Rose turned and grinned at Mal-Scorpius, "What if I asked you to buy me some chocolate frogs?"

Scorpius froze in handing his coins to the woman and smirked, "What if I said to fork over your own coins?"

Rose frowned, disappointed and began to dig into her pocket for the coins to pay the woman but paused as Scorpius laughed and dug out a few more of his own coins.

"A few licorice wands, a couple beans, and three chocolate frogs please." The trolley lady grinned and handed him the candy.

With a self-satisfied smirk he passed out the candy, the wands to Josh, the beans to himself and finally the frogs to Rose.

As she reached for them with a grin he pulled it away sharply, "Ah ah ah Rose. What if I still wanted you to pay?"

Rose grinned up at him, eyes twinkling, "Then you wouldn't have ever bought them for me."

Laughing, he handed her the frogs.

They ate in silence for a while before Rose looked up at the boy beside her as if remembering something, "Scorpius?"

He looked up startled, still not used to her calling him by his first name, "Er, yes Rose?"

She smiled a small little smile with a small little blush and asked, "What if I forgot to tell you thank you?"

Scorpius blinked at her before laughing, "Then I suppose I'd just know you meant to say it."

They both laughed and Josh realized that perhaps these two wouldn't be so weird to be friends after all.

"What if I told you both to shut up?" The two second years looked at Josh, startled before looking back at each other.

"Then I suppose we'd just have to say no."

With that Rose grinned and stared out the window, awaiting their arrival back at Hogwarts.


	5. Messed Up

As the year went on, they began to act more and more like friends and less and less like the enemies they thought they were destined to be. If fact, some could even go so far as to say that they forgot they were supposed to be acting…

Josh was certainly unsure of the whole thing, it seemed to be a little too good to him. They were too nice with too few fights. Even friends had to argue right? But they never did.

The news of their newfound friendship spread like a wildfire throught the school and before long Rose's family began to confront her about it.

Albus, her closest cousin and confidant, was offended at not having been consulted until Rose pointed out that after her having been sorted into Hufflepuff he hadn't done much of anything to have been in a position to be consulted.

His brother James was a flurry of questions and accusations even going so far as to claimthe only reason they were friends was because Scorpius had gotten her pregnant. Everyone merely stared at James until he decided that perhaps that was disrespectful and unkind to say to your innocent littlew cousin and her new friend.

They tried their hardest to ignore the poking and prodding of their fellow students and soon enough, much to their glee, the rumors died down, the students now bored with the closed mouthed friends.

Of course Rose and Scorpius weren't to know that Josh was now the target of all the questions about them…

They spent their days in thr library and Rose showed him how her cousin, James had shown her how to enter the kitchens, a trick Scorpius was all too glad to learn.

Scorpius, in turn, became one of the first ever Slytherins to invite a member of a differsnt house into his Common Room for any reason other than… extracurricular activities. Not to mention that she was the first Weasely to have ever been considered entry.

Scorpius nearly forgot that they were supposed to only be acting.

"Scorpius?" Rose was reading in a surprisingly comfy green armchair in the Slytherin common alone with Scorpius when the question burst from her lips.

Scorpius looked up in surprise at Rose, "Ye-es?" He drew the word out, confused.

"What if our parents don't agree with us being friends?" Scorpius stared blankly at Rose, startled.

"Um… Are we?"

Immediately he winced at his words, he never knew why he said things he didn't mean around her but he did. He hadn't meant to remind her that they weren't friends, no matter how much they wanted to be.

Rose gaped, and fought thee tickling feeling at the back of her throat, "Of course not. I was just testing you."

With that she stood and hurried from the dungeon.

As she left Scorpius groaned loudly and planted his head in his hands. Why did he have to mess everything up?


	6. The Best Year Yet

Rose acted as she always did with him when others were around until they were alone when she would always turn to him and say, "There, now we don't have to act anymore." And then walk away.

People began to wonder why they weren't around each other as much as before. Rose always said it was because she was so busy studying but Scorpius had the idea that people knew something more was wrong.

Scorpius was miserable.

To keep up the crumpling façade he couldn't bring up his predicament to Rose about his slip in the Slytherin Common room and when they were together she never gave him the chance to explain it.

Rose avoided him like the plague except when she knew she couldn't. But even as she avoided him she was always quick to appear by his side when he was being questioned by other students about their relationship.

Josh knew something wwas wrong and asked Scorpius nearly every day what was wrong but Scorpius couldn't bring himself to reveal their lie before Rose. If she wanted it to end he would make her end it, not him.

It had been weeks and then, eventually, months. Until finally, the week of the end of the semester, Scorpius told Josh.

He spilled, it had been driving him insane, why didn't she understand? He was trying so hard to fix things, trying so hard to make it right again but she gave him nothing.

When the time came that Josh confronted him about her parting words after one night of eavesdropping (and nearly getting a detention), Scorpius spilled.

"I messed up. We said we were going to act like friends last year and that's what we did but then we became actual friends and I said that we weren't one night, being stupid because I can never get my stupid mouth to work right with her and now she wont even talk to me except when we are in front of people!" Scorpius leaned heavily on the great stone wall, sliding down, not even caring that his voice echoed around and that Filch was probably searching for them as they spoke.

Josh looked around nervously, he had found Scorpius after he had made his usual late night trip to the kitchens.

Scorpius being a Slytherin, he was privy to the upperclassmen's knowledge of prefect and teacher patrols and schedules and had been for years, the information was passed down from student to student.

So Josh had decided it was the perfect time to find him and confront him. He hadn't been expecting his Slytherin friend to be so forthcoming finally.

Scorpius graoned, "But what does it matter anyway? We were never friends. It was all just an act. Just a game. So you can go back to Rose and tell her that she won! I don't care anyways, I can just go back to how I used to be. I don't care, right josh?"

He looked up at Josh hopefully but found the older boy looking down at him pitifully. Scorpius sighed and dropped his head into his hands, "I messed up, didn't I?"

Josh sighed, "You messed up, that much you did. I wish you guys had told me what was going on, I know I was annoying last year but if its made you two get like this then none of that stuff last year matters. What you have to do, is try to fix it."

They talked long into the night, Scorpius assuring Josh that no teachers or prefects came down that hallway and Filch was nearing deafness, with Mrs. Norris two stories down listening to the Weird Sisters louder than anyone cared to know within a sealed tight classroom.

The next day Rose was like death, she dragged her feet andwhen she saw Scorpius, he eyes seemed lifeless and cold.

"Scorpius, can I talk to you?" She asked quietly.

Surprised and anxious, he nodded.

Rose had been coming back from the kitchens that night, using her uncles map when she had seen two names she knew well.

When she had found he corridor they were in she had heard the angry, bitter, hateful voice of Scorpius, "We were never friends. It was all just an act. Just a game."

Befroe listening to the rest, she had turned and hurried off, tears in her eyes and muffled sobs held in.

"What is it Rose?" Scorpius looked at her hopefully, hoping beyond all hope that she was willing to forgive him again.

"What if…" Scorpius smirked slightly, it had been a while since she had said those words to him.

"What if…", He frowned, it wasn't like her to ask the same question twice much less to not finish the question, that was just strange.

"What if I said, I want to end this? I want to end this game Malfoy, its stupid. We should have never started it to begin with." As she spoke her voice had become cold and hard and it brooked no argument.

Her eyes were pools of conviction and Josh, who was standing behind her with a confused and startled expression was proof that this was her own decision.

Scorpius, with his ever foolish uncooperative tongue said, "What if I said I really didn't care Weasely?" in his most bored voice.

He grimaced, "No, Weasley-"

Rose cleared her throat roughly, "I get it, it was all just an act. We can finally tell everyone that it was nothing all along and we can go back to how it used to be with us as enemies."

With that Rose rushed away, leaving Scorpius knowing that he had truly screwed up any chance he had had of being friends with Rose.

Rose told the whole school on the last day leaving a very confused Hogwarts Express ride back to 9 ¾. Scorpius Rode with his fellow Slytherins home.

Rose rode in her usual compartment with Josh staring blankly out the window as the world passed on by, a question just begging to be asked at her lips;

What if I were to say that this had been the funnest year yet?


	7. Third Year

When they went back to school the next year, Rose had reached an all new cold to Scorpius, her words short and clipped if indeed she said anything at all. For Josh, he couldn't help but think it was all his fault that his friends were so distant, he had been the one to make them feel they had to act like friends after all.

Rose and Scorpius were just starting their third year and it seemed that it was anything but fun for the two. Josh had been awarded the honor of prefect though how he was still puzzling out.

Scorpius was miserable to say the least, he couldn't help but recall the time when they were friends every. Single. Time he spoke to her, or tried to at least.

He missed seeing her smile, he missed her laugh, and Merlin he missed her weird what ifs.

For Rose, it was almost as if the world had become nothing more than giant echoing circle that she lived on and wished she didn't. Hogwarts was supposed to be fun yet she only felt miserable, even when she got to go to Hogsmeade.

HE was always in the exact spot that would perfectly prove to ruin her day.

Finally however he managed to break the silence, though it only took till Christmas to do so, "Hey Ginger, do you ever get tired of being such a pushover Puff?"

It was immature he knew, but if there was one thing Rose hated it was when people made fun of her Hufflepuffs. And her hair.

She froze in her tracks as she was helping two Gryffindors hang Christmas lights on one of the arches and turned to face Scorpius with burning eyes, "Come again Malfoy?"

He forced a smug smirk, "I asked, since your hair is obviously clogging your ears; do you ever get tired of being a harebrained pansy Hufflepuff."

Her eyes flared and her cheeks glowed with rage a trait she'd inherited from her father, something he thought highly endearing yet terrifying.

"I suggest you shut up Malfoy." Her voice was quiet but he inwardly jumped for joy, she was talking to him at least.

"What and miss informing you that your hair resembles that of a hippogriffs nest? No thank you."

She dropped the lights and pulled out her wand, "I'm warning you Malfoy…"

He laughed, "Wouldn't wasn't to get a detention now would we Weasley? We both know you want to curse me but honestly, a Puff like you wouldn't last two minutes in detention."

Turns out she could and she would.

From that day on after she hexed him left and right and put him in the infirmary and her in detention, they used every opportunity to duel with either words or wands though often it resulted in both.

Scorpius was actually rather happy to argue with her, it gave him a chance to talk to her, and she began to ask what ifs again.

Not the friendly kind of what ifs mind you, the kind that left no room to imagine any good intentions like, "What if you died, do you think the professors would suspect me?"

Scorpius sighed, at least now they talked…


	8. Not Much of a Surprise

By the end of their third year Scorpius honestly couldn't think of a single thing he had ever done quite as frustrating as his utter failure to smooth over the incident.

There had been AT LEAST thirty-two different occasions when he had assured Josh he'd fix it in the morning and at least sixty-seven times he'd been hexed for even trying to talk to her. At least they were back to doing what it's…. Even if they were all violent and anti Scorpius…

He was just glad to be going home again.

Boarding the train, he tried his very best to avoid any Weasleys or Potters and found it much harder than he had predicted, funny how you don't realize how many of them there are until you're trying to avoid them….

Finally, he slipped into a mostly empty compartment with a relieved sigh, "Hullo Joshua."

Josh grinned up at his miserable friend, "Any of the Gryffindors try to hex you for making their family hate you?"

Scorpius plopped into his seat with a despairing groan, "Not this time thankfully though I do think James was about to send one at me before Krysten got his attention."

Josh smirked at his friend, "You do know Rose was just in here, just left for a moment to find Lenny."

Scorpius groaned again and sank into his seat miserably, "Weasely? Bloody hell mate, you're my friend too, doesn't she know that yet?"

"What if I were to tell you to stop talking about me behind my back?"

Scorpius groaned (Again) miserably, "Bugger off Weasely, we were hardly talking about you so get over it already will you?"

Weasely narrowed her eyes at Scorpius, "What are you doing in here?"

Scorpius glared up at his… well he supposed they were back to being destined enemies, "Last I had checked Weasely, this was a free compartment. So like I said before…. Bugger your gingered arse off."

Weasely and Josh both gaped at Scorpius, "What if I were to tell you I hated you."

Scorpius sighed and stood at last, looking down at Rose, "Then I'd have to tell you it's not much of a surprise."

He glanced over at Josh, "See you during the break then Zabini."

Josh offered an awkward wave and a nod of confirmation before the sliding door was closed and he was left alone with a fuming Weasely.


	9. New Friends

Fourth year.

This was the year when it all started falling to pieces (As if it hadn't already).

Josh was cautious of his dear friends and if he were truly honest he might even say he was beginning to grow scared of them.

Why was this year so horrible? This was the year that Scorpius realized he was jealous.

Boarding the Hogwarts Express Scorpius had been expecting anything but Rose laughing with a crowd of Puffs in a different compartment. Josh said they were new friends of hers, that they had started talking last year and had decided to exchange letters over the summer and had become fast friends.

"What is it about Weasely that makes them want to be with her? I mean, honestly now Josh, why do you insist on being friends with her?" Scorpius never took his gaze from the traitorous compartment Rose was laughing in.

Josh smirked, "Maybe it has something to do with the fact that she doesn't insist on making herself frustrating on purpose to give someone else a reason to hate her?"

Scorpius turned his glare to Josh for just a moment before sighing pathetically and slumping in his seat, "Maybe you're right, Weasely deserves to have friends who know where their loyalties lie."

Josh chuckled, "You do know you're still able to talk to her… It might take a little while to get her to believe you but siriously mate…"

Scorpius nodded, promising himself he'd explain it all to her as soon as they got off the train.

Which, of course, meant he was going to go hex her new friends.

Rose never would have thought that Scorpius would have hated the idea of her having new friend though if she had she would have never picked such friendly ones.

Monay was fascinated by Scorpius and insisted on smirking every time he was mentioned in any sort of conversation. Troy was devastatingly handsome and Deliah was wholeheartedly invested in trying to discover deep dark secrets in everyone's past.

She loved them.

Which is why she would have picked far less loveable friends had she known having friends would annoy Scorpius so much. She would have chosen people who would insult Scorpius with every breath, people who would have no problem playing dirty on the Quidditch field but seeing as she still wasn't quite how she felt about him she would later be glad she had no clue then why Scorpius insisted on hexing Troy when they piled off the Express.

A few hours later, in the Great Hall eating supper, Deliah asked a question a few of them had been wondering for a while, "Why don't you and Scorpius get along Rose?"

Rose blinked at her and glanced around, finding Josh's expectant gaze and sighing inwardly, "What if…. I was to tell you it was because he hurt me?"


	10. Fixing Things

Scorpius groaned guiltily, head in hands, the corridor echoing. He looked up at Josh and sighed, "She said I hurt her? Really?"

Josh nodded solemnly, looking far too grave for the situation, "That's what she said. Said you hurt her. My guess is, probably the night you said you weren't friends but Im not expert."

Scorpius groaned again and his head fell back into the cradle of his hands where he found wallowing in self pity easiest, "How do I fix this Joshua? In all seriousness and everything, how do I bloody get Rose to speak to me like Im more than dirt on her shoe again?"

Joshua shrugged helplessly, "Stop arguing? Stop rising to the occasions, stop creating occasions, stop hexing, jinxing, pranking, teasing and mocking?"

Scorpius nodded as if Josh were imparting sage wisdom and rubbed her brow in thought, already devising ways to go about everything, "And that will help? Just…. Stop every bit of our old relationship? Act like nothings ever happened, that she is just a friend of a friend?"

Josh nodded slowly, shrugging again, "You could always get yourself hit in the head with a bludger and then pretend you don't remember the falling out."

Scorpius let out a barking laugh, "Merlin, that might be easier."

They sat in silence for a while beside the merrily crackling fire of the Hufflepuff common room before Scorpius stood purposefully, "Right. New leaf. Wish me luck."

As if on cue, Rose and her new troop arrived, their laughter cut short by the sight of the grim looking boys, one puff, one a certain platinum haired Slytherin. Rose's expression instantly grew cold and distant and she glared at Scorpius cruelly, "Malfoy."

Monay smirked almost amusedly behind her as Troy shifted slightly as if uncomfortable and Deliah frowned as if she were missing something, glancing over to Monay as if Monay knew something the rest did not.

"Evening Weasely, run into Mrs. Norris?" Scorpius winced internally as he asked what he was sure was the dumbest question of all time but had been the first to pop into his head.

Rose blinked slightly and Monay's smirk widened, "What? No. we did not run into Norris, thank you. I hope you do though on your way out of my bloody commons though. Merlin, what are you even doing here anyways?"

Scorpius managed a small self-depreciating smile as he lowered his eyes almost shamefully, "Right. Well ill be sure to tell her hello on my way back then. G'night Joshua. Rose, Monay, Deliah….. Troy." They last came almost hesitantly and with a silent apology as he nodded to him, unwilling to actually verbally speak it aloud.

Troy nodded back as Rose gaped in confused silence as Scorpius walked past them, excusing himself politely from their presence.

Rose turned to Joshua in shock who was staring at the door Scorpius had just left through looking rather dazed himself, "What was that?"

Josh finally lowered his gaze to meet Rose's and a large smile began to take form, stretching widely across his lips, "Fixing things presumably."

Rose frowned, biting her lip as she looked back at the door also, "What if I said that I don't know how I feel about that?"

Josh's grin stretched further yet, "Then I'd say you're lying. Admit it Rose. You're happy. You're going to give him Hell trying to do it, but you're happy that he is."

Outside, Scorpius leaned heavily against the door, sighing softly, eyes closed, "Merlin… Im going to need that bludger."


	11. The Friends

The next year was strained at best. Rose made her usual snarky remarks but was met by nothing but a polite response every time – even when she insulted Scorpius's heritage. It was taking all of her energy just to remind herself why she hated him and so she often found herself staring off in thought, consumed by memories of when things were much better between them.

Scorpius, for his part was trying his hardest just to stay calm. He reminded himself daily that he was doing it all for a cause and with every day he reminded himself that at least Rose was talking to him. He schooled his features and within a few months found that he really wasn't even as bothered by her insults to his heritage as he used to be, learning instead to merely absorb her insults and move on.

Monay seemed to honestly enjoy the entire drama that was going on between the two and, being the ever helpful Ravenclaw, said nothing as she watched them both struggle with their relationship. Her gleeful looks were rarely missed by the others around her but she never said just what was causing her sly grins but it was usually obvious since they occurred most often in the wake of a flustered Rose Weasely or a glum Scorpius after a one sided row between the two.

Deliah, a Gryffindor and a dear friend was the last to understand what was causing her blue clad friend to chuckle so deviously so often until one day Rose began to complain about how perfect his hair was without him even trying to keep it so and how she knew it was because of second year. After that gossipy night, Deliah would occasionally share in Monay's amusement despite her ingrained urge to protect her friend from the boy who had hurt her before.

Troy was a different matter. He watched the two dance around each other and took in the glares sent to him with a heavy sigh and a roll of his eyes. Scorpius didn't trust him. Rose kept using him to annoy Scorpius and honestly Troy was just ready to help his housemate out. He didn't take pleasure in watching the Slytherin boy meekly take his punishment for an old game he had been too wary to admit it wasn't a game any longer.

So he talked to the girls and made his plan. One of the benefits of being in a group of friends of people in all four houses is its quite easy to spread out and play Annoy the Hufflepuff.

Troy, to Scorpius's surprise began sitting with Scorpius and studying with him in the library and commons and they often spoke of Quidditch and their fellow Slytherin housemates latest gossip. Scorpius wasn't entirely sure how to handle the new partnership especially after his original introduction. Regardless, however, Troy pretended that Scorpius had never hexed him and Scorpius soon found himself considering Troy a friend despite himself.

Deliah began to chat animatedly with Scorpius in her Potions class with him and would occasionally forget herself in her conversation and would ramble on about Rose, potions, Rose, Troy, Rose and her chosen future in healing. She'd often get so caught up, in fact, with their conversations that she'd find herself wandering over to the Slytherin table, lost in a story or intense conversation about their futures. Scorpius decided very early on that he enjoyed Deliah's company as she was a very cheerful girl and was easy to talk to.

Monay was another matter entirely. Monay was deviously quiet and enjoyed flustering the platinum haired Slytherin. She had an uncanny eye for potential couples and had a habit of randomly sitting in front of Scorpius as he was taking a drink of pumpkin juice and saying something so absurd he'd choke. He began to dread her visits as strange as they were and so, when the day came that Monay bounced over to his seat on the last day of the year after a week of silence from Rose he was dreading what she might say.

He tried to wait patiently for her to speak, purposefully ignoring his juice as he did before he realized with a sigh that she would not speak unless he was in the middle of a swallow he brought his cup up to his lips, glaring over the rim at the blonde Ravenclaw, "What if I told you that Rose fancies the pants off of you but doesn't know how to be your friend after this year?"

Scorpius predictably spat out his drink, spraying it all over the table and glared at the Ravenclaw who had set up a protective barrier around herself before she'd told him.

He coughed self-consciously and glanced over his shoulder and saw Rose looked down quickly, pretending she hadn't been staring at him with a puzzled expression on her face and he smiled, "Save me a seat on the Express yeah? Don't tell Rose but I fancy her too and I expect us to get along over the summer this year."

Monay blinked, surprised despite herself before allowing a wide grin to cover her face, "Ok. I'll talk to the others and we'll save you a seat right next to Ro. A little hint though? Don't take it too fast."

Scorpius smirked, "I only just got this far. I don't think I'm going to be trying to sabotage myself for a while, thanks."


	12. Summer Tween 4th and 5th

Summer Between Fourth and Fifth Year

Rose bit her lip anxiously, staring down at the letter that had arrived from a certain blonde Slytherin. She glanced around and sighed softly, debating on how to respond to his letter. It was infuriatingly short, yes but it was a question that weighed heavily upon her consciousness.

 _Rose Weasely,_

 _What if I said I wanted another go at Second year?_

 _Your friend,_

 _Scorpius Malfoy._

She clenched her eyes closed and glanced at the monstrous owl that was awaiting her response patiently, having obviously been told to wait. She groaned loudly and flopped onto her bed, holding the letter outstretched above her, glaring at the words upon the short slip of parchment.

She reached and touched the flowing letters of his curling script, a small smile finding its way onto her face as she traced over the letters of his name. She bit her lip again and glared at the owl, "This is all your fault, you know. If you didn't insist on sitting there for three days I could have just ignored this and moved on, but instead you've stuck around and made me feel all guilty, mooching off my dwindling stash of bird treats…"

The eagle owl gave a quiet burble within its throat and stuck out her leg as she often did when Rose was speaking to her as if she expected the girl to attach a letter at any moment.

Rose sighed guiltily as she watched the bird and allowed her shoulders to droop in defeat, "Fine. Give me a few moments to write up a response first."

The bird cocked its head a startling nearly ninety degrees, causing Rose to shudder as she muttered about the unnaturalness of the birds as a species.

Walking to her desk Rose was left to stare at a piece of blank parchment in weary apprehension. She bit her lip and dipped her quill into her ink seven times before sighing, dropping her head to her writing desk before sitting up straight purposefully, "Merlin forgive me…"

 _Scorpius Malfoy,_

 _What if I said I wanted to try to be your friend again too?_

 _Hoping_

 _Rose Weasely_

She stared down at her letter before quickly folding it, not caring if it were neat for she knew she'd merely toss it if she put any more thought into responding to the blonde as she hurried to the eagle owl who eagerly held out her leg again, affectionately nibbling at Rose's hair as she ties her message to the bird's leg.

"Take it back to Scorpius, yeah?"

The bird hooted and opened its great wings, turning to Rose's open window and flew away, dropping gracefully into the breeze and disappearing into the night.

Rose flopped back onto her bed, groaning with dread as she realized she'd just agreed to be Scorpius's friend again. She glanced at the time and sighed, "It's only ten and I feel like dying."

Despite herself, she found her finger again tracing the looping letters of his fancy script and smiling at the way he had written her name looking (Now that she was taking the time to look at it closely) that beneath the neat calligraphy he had begun her name many times first when a common pen as if unsure of what to say after he'd written it.

She had to admit that he had been a great guy all fourth year (not counting hexing Troy the moment they got off the Express) and she had been surprised when, one by one, her friends had abandoned her to hang out with her enemy.

She had been especially startled when he'd sat next to her on the return journey, sitting quietly and not saying much besides making polite conversation with passing classmates outside the compartment and with Deliah who had been excited about her trip with her father in the next month.

Rose was startled from her thoughts by the flapping of wings as the owl returned again. Gaping at the owl's amazing ability to get from the Malfoy Manor to the Burrow so quickly she retrieved the letter and unfolded it slowly, fingers trembling slightly.

 _Rose,_

 _What if I said I wouldn't mess it up this time?_

 _I swear,_

 _Scorpius_

Rose couldn't help but smile in amusement at the letter and hurried to her desk to respond. This continues for weeks, letter after letter of what ifs and answering questions and getting to know the other better and Rose was honestly beginning to love how quickly he answered and was mortified by how eager she was to read his every word.

 _Scorpius,_

 _What if I said I was curious about how your owl gets here so quickly?_

 _Rose_

 _Rose,_

 _What if I said it was because she had an enchantment on her to apparate just outside of wards?_

 _Scorpius_

 _Rose,_

 _What if I were to ask Deliah who she thought Josh would end up with?_

 _Scorpius_

 _Scorpius,_

 _What if I said I asked her and she said she couldn't tell you until she got on the express and watched him?_

 _Rose_

And so their letter continued until, finally, the final week before fifth year arrived and their letters started becoming more nervous, suddenly unsure of their newfound friendship. It was one thing to be friends with the former enemy you never saw but an entirely different one to face that friend who now knew so much about you.

Rose stepped through 9 ¾ and looked around uneasily, looking for familiar faces in the crowd. She saw Deliah chatting amicably with her father, a Quidditch captain of some famous team. Monay was gazing critically at the crowd and smirking occasionally as she saw one of her predicted couples together. Troy was saying farewell to his hoard of little brothers, chuckling warmly at their energy.

Finally, Rose saw the warm eyes of Scorpius Malfoy and, before she knew it, found herself unable to look away as they stood silently on either side of the platform, gazing into each other's' eyes across the crowd.


	13. Hot Chocolate or Cocoa, Whichever One

Josh grinned in satisfaction as he watched his Hufflepuff friend walk in with his Slytherin friend arguing about whatever it was that had struck the others nerve that day. Rose rolled her eyes dramatically and gestured wildly with her arms as they stopped abruptly just inside the doors to the Great Hall and Scorpius could be seen to scoff disdainfully and shake his head, managing a much more dignified argument.

Rose huffed angrily and pointed a finger accusingly at Scorpius who smirked mockingly before shrugging, apparently disinterested if not for the wicked gleam in his eye as they both made their way over to Josh who was watching their interaction with interest.

Rose sat on one side of Josh while Scorpius sat on the other, one with a huff, the other with a satisfied smirk, "What were the two of you arguing about this morning, it being only," Joshua checked the time and smiled, "Seven thirteen?"

Rose stayed silent, stabbing at her breakfast angrily and offering no explanation so Josh turned to Scorpius instead who merely shook his head regally, "Nothing terribly important, Im afraid. Just asked Rose if she'd like to join me for some hot chocolate later tonight so she could wind down after the long day of OWL preps Im sure she'll be doing all day - "

"– Oi - "Rose cut in, interrupting Scorpius with a glare to the both of her present male friends," Don't go about making it sound like Im my mum or anything. Its fifth year, I have to be prepared, and so should y - "

"And she said she preferred hot cocoa - "

"- There is a BIG difference! - "

"And so I asked her what the difference was – "

"- One is made with milk, the other water – "

"And she said one was made with water, the other with milk – "

"– Don't pretend you can't hear me – "

"So then we started arguing over the finer points of the two – "

"- Like how one taste infinitely better – "

"And evidently we haven't stopped since."

Josh laughed outright as Scorpius explained the entire situation, Rose looking more and more flustered and embarrassed as well as frustrated with every interjection as Scorpius sat looking rather pleased with himself, "The two of you have spent all morning arguing over hot chocolate or hot cocoa or whatever it's called?"

Rose blushed her bright Weasley red before nodding meekly.

"Have you at least answered his invitation?" Scorpius suddenly seemed far more interested in the conversation at hand, barely maintaining his lofty attitude as he tried to appear as if he wasn't desperately awaiting her answer.

Being now half way through their fifth year, they had greatly reduced the distance between them that had grown in the years past, becoming nearly inseparable due to how much time they spent together. They still argued a great deal of time and Rose still asked her what ifs and Scorpius would have it no other way.

Joshua knew how much Rose meant to Scorpius and knew that Scorpius meant a great deal to Rose though he wasn't sure yet if Rose realized it, having come from a family of predominantly males and yet unused to any form of even slightly romantic attention and thus not recognizing even her own growing affections for the friend sitting next to Josh.

Scorpius and Josh had had a great many talks over the past year about his growing feelings and how it would best benefit him and her to go about them without having yet another fiasco and had yet to come up with anything so Scorpius was fine with just simply being friends.

But that didn't mean he couldn't occasionally trick her into dates she didn't know were dates such as going down to the kitchens and grabbing a bite, just the two of them.

Rose thought for a moment before shrugging, "So long as he gives me cocoa and not hot chocolate."

Scorpius nodded in acknowledgement and quickly made a mental note to tell the elves to specifically make cocoa as Rose spoke again, "Want to come with us Josh? This is your last year and all."

Josh could practically feel Scorpius stiffen beside him and nail his gaze to the back of Joshua's head as he chuckled and shook his head, his refusal allowing his platinum haired friend to relax, "No, I have to study for Newts and I have a meeting with someone later tonight that I would hate to miss out on, but thank you Rosie."

Rose smiled and shrugged, "Then just me and Scor." Rose checked her watch and cursed loudly, blushing when one of the younger students gaped at her, "I forgot I have an early Herbology class today, save me a biscuit will you Scor and bring it with you to Transfiguration for me? You know I always get puckish by then."

Scorpius nodded with exaggeration, making a show of whipping out his handkerchief and wrapping a biscuit inside it before vanishing it with his wand until later as Rose hurried away.

Rose sat down tiredly beside him Scorpius on the farthest bench in the kitchens, sighing tiredly as she leaned over and put her head on Scorpius's shoulder, going limp with exhaustion and knowing he'd hold her up as he always did.

Scorpius laughed as she leaned on him, a fond smile crossing his face as he looked down at the fiery red locks of hair and wrapped and arm around her shoulders in a side hug, "Long day?"

Rose smiled softly at the deep timber of his voice and the way his whole chest vibrated as he spoke, his voice having dropped several octaves sometime in the past three years that she hadn't been paying attention to, "Every hour took an age. Except for transfiguration, that was the sole highlight of my classes today and that was due more to the biscuit than to the class itself."

Scorpius chuckled again, his chest rumbling with the sound, "You never told me what happened in Herbology that set your day off to such a terrible start, you know."

She blushed, the memory returning as she sat up slowly, ears, cheeks, and neck red in her Weasley blush, "I may or may not have nearly let a Radix Vespa eat my partner because I stopped paying attention."

Scorpius's mouth fell open in shock and surprise, he lips slowly curling up, "Who was your partner?"

Rose looked away, ears growing redder with each passing second, "Oh…. You know… there having been an odd number and all… _someone_ had to pair with the Professor…."

Scorpius's face turned to one of pure glee as he burst into deep, raucous laughter, startling a few elves and only making Rose blush brighter still, "You almost got the Professor – your Godfather – eaten?!"

Rose couldn't help but smile when he worded it like that, "Oh shut up! It not like you've never made a right mess of a situation before!"

Scorpius nodded sagely, "I have, you're right. Your mess almost got a professor eaten whereas mine took little more than three years to repair. I think you got the better deal."

Rose grinned at his words, recalling the "Mess" all too clearly when she had asked if their family would accept their friendship and he had reminded her it didn't exist and appreciating now that he considered that having been worse than nearly getting her Godfather eaten by a vicious plant, "Hey Scorpius?"

Scorpius smiled, sensing the oncoming approach of a What If, "Yes, Rose, Luv?"

Rose blushed at his casual endearment, "What if I said I was really glad we decided to try again at this whole friend thing?"

Scorpius pretended to think, "Then I suppose id say I was too though it was my idea to begin with so I should be."

"And Scor?"

He raised an eyebrow at her curiously, a smirk on his lips, "Yes, luv?"

"What if…. I mean What if – "

"Take your time, Im in no hurry." He smiled reassuring at her, pretending as if he wasn't on the edge of his seat to hear her hesitant question.

"What if we were to visit each other's homes this summer instead of only sending letters?"

Scorpius gaped for a moment at her bold question as her blush returned, "I…. I suppose I'd say that that would be most agreeable should your parents agree to such a thing."

Rose grinned and they drank their hot cocoa in comfortable silence, Scorpius silently screaming incomprehensibly at the sudden development he hadn't expected and Rose silently cheering herself on for furthering their friendship just a little further.


End file.
